The Web (episode)
The Web was the fifth episode of Series A of Blake's 7 first broadcast in 1978. This was the first episode to feature the Liberator s weapons firing. Synopsis From the VHS release: When an unexplainable gravitational pull traps the Liberator in an enveloping gossamer fungus near an unexplored planet, the legend of Cally's people - The Lost - becomes a reality. To break free from their 'web', Blake is asked to wipe out an entire species... Plot Onboard the Liberator, Cally begins acting strangely, knocking Vila unconscious and then sabotaging the ship. She then holds Blake, Jenna and Avon at gunpoint on the flight deck before Gan overpowers her. When she recovers, she has no memory of the incident. The Liberator drifts towards a nearby planet where it becomes trapped in a web-like substance. Jenna goes into a trance and someone speaks through her, telling the crew to travel down to the planet. Cally believes that her possessor was one of the Lost, a group of Auronar who were exiled from Auron in ancient times. speaks through Jenna.]] Blake teleports down to a wooded area inhabited by small, white-skinned creatures, the Decimas. One of them approaches Blake and asks for help but, before he can respond, it is killed by Novara, one of two silver-skinned people who emerge from a nearby dome. He and his companion Geela take Blake inside and inform him they can use a fungicide to destroy the web trapping the Liberator. However, the power cells that both the fungicide and their life support systems depend on are failing. Blake agrees to provide replacements. Onboard the Liberator, the crew detect Federation pursuit ships that will have them on sensors if they remain trapped but Jenna elects to keep the information from Blake. Blake is shocked when Novara and Geela reveal that, once they have the power cells, they will release a dose of radiation that will kill the Decimas. They also reveal that both the Decimas and they themselves are manufactured lifeforms. They take Blake to their controller, Saymon, a shrunken head and body located in a life support tank who contains the minds of six members of the Lost, the result of their experiments to prolong life. Geela and Novara are entirely controlled by him and it was also him who controlled Cally and Jenna to bring the Liberator there. pursuit ships in formation.]] Blake contacts the Liberator and learns Avon has already teleported down with the power cells. Finding him in the woods, he attempts to withhold the power cells until Geela and Novara agree to destroy the radiation device. However, the two automatons force them to surrender the power cells and fit them in the dome. Before they can activate the radiation, though, the Decimas attack. Blake and Avon manage to activate the fungicide and teleport clear as the Decimas destroy the lab, killing Geela, Novara and finally Saymon. The Liberator breaks clear of the web in time to avoid the Federation patrol. Cast *Roj Blake - Gareth Thomas *Avon - Paul Darrow *Vila - Michael Keating *Jenna - Sally Knyvette *Gan - David Jackson *Cally - Jan Chappell *Zen - Peter Tuddenham * Saymon - Richard Beale * Geela - Ania Marson * Novara - Miles Fothergill * Decimas - Deep Roy, Gilda Cohen, Ismet Hassam, Marcus Powell, Molly Tweedley, Willie Sheara Crew * Production Assistant - Victor Mallett * Production Unit Manager - Sheelagh Rees * Film Cameraman - Ken Willicombe * Film Recordist - Andrew Boulton * Film Editor - M.A.C. Adams * Series Videotape Editors - Sam Upton (Uncredited), Malcolm Banthorpe (Uncredited) * Visual Effects Designer - Ian Scoones * Electronic Effects - A.J. Mitchell * Graphics Designer - Bob Blagden * Studio Lighting - Brian Clemett * Studio Sound - Tony Millier * Special Sound - Richard Yeoman-Clark * Costume Designer - Barbara Lane * Make Up Artist - Eileen Mair * Music By - Dudley Simpson * Series Devised By - Terry Nation Story notes * Deep Roy, who appears as one of the Decimas, has more substantial roles as the Klute in "Gambit" and Moloch in "Moloch". *This episode introduces the colour-coded tracksuits worn by the Liberator crew on planets' surfaces, although only Blake and Avon are seen wearing them. (Cally is carrying hers when she tries to convince Blake to let her teleport down.) Vila's and Gan's debut in "Seek-Locate-Destroy" and Jenna's in "Duel". Ratings 9.6M Filming locations Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. Production errors To be added. Continuity * At the end of the episode, Blake sets course for Centero, as he had done at the end of Time Squad. The ship finally arrives there in "Seek-Locate-Destroy. * Avon states that one day Blake will not be making the decisions aboard the Liberator, a prediction that comes true in Powerplay. Quotes Blake: (After Avon has saved his life) Thank you. Why? Avon: Automatic reaction. I'm as surprised as you are. Home video releases * Original BBC video release (Volume 3) in 1991. * Fabulous Films video reissue (Volume 3) on 14 April 1998. * DVD release as part of the Series 1 box set on 1 March 2004. External links * References Category:Series A episodes